Free The Gift of Shayla by N.J. Walters

were touching the ground. She rushed toward the bed and felt the sheets. “They’re cold.”
    “Sonofabitch?”
    Shayla turned and crossed her arms. “What are we going to do about this?”
    Rob looked at her with pure love shining in his eyes. “We’re going to go get him and drag him back here. No way is he spending Christmas alone.”
    “Give me five minutes to get dressed.”
     
    Adam ignored the pounding on his front door. He knew who it was and he wasn’t ready to face Rob just yet. He picked up his mug of coffee and drank half of it down in one swallow. It was too early in the morning to drink, but Adam figured it didn’t count if half the mug was filled with whisky and the other half was coffee. Hell, it was a festive drink. Seasonal.
    Heavy boot steps sounded in the hallway. He didn’t bother to get up from his seat in front of the cold hearth. He continued to stare out the front window at the frozen wonderland it framed.
    “What the hell were you thinking to leave without a word this morning?”
    Adam closed his eyes and willed his temper to stay in check. He didn’t want to say anything that might do further damage to his relationship with Rob. A spurt of anger surged through him. He hadn’t asked for last night. Hadn’t wanted to change things.
    Just as quickly his anger died. He was lying to himself. He might not have asked for last night. Not directly. But he’d been asking with his eyes and thoughts for years. There was no denying he loved Rob and more than just as a best friend.
    The lump in his throat was threatening to choke him.
    He took another belt of his coffee/whiskey drink and then carefully put the mug on the table beside him. “I don’t know. Maybe that you and your wife might like to spend Christmas morning alone?” It hurt to say the words aloud. “How did you get in?” Even as he said it he knew Rob’s answer.
    Rob snorted. “Emergency key. You know I have the keys to your house just like you’ve got the keys to mine.”
    “You can leave them on the table on your way out.” Christ, had he just said that to Rob? Why didn’t he just rip his own heart out and stomp on it. That’s what he was doing by asking his best friend to leave.
    “Why?” Rob ambled over and crouched down beside him, his face wreathed in concern. “Why did you leave?”
    The insensitivity was too much for Adam to take. Everything inside him came spewing out. “Why did I leave? I’m in love with you. In love.” He thumped his chest for emphasis. “And you’re married. Married to a woman who I care for deeply. Oh, fuck, what does it matter? I’ve come to love her, too, because she’s special and because you love her.”
    Even as he spoke, the logical part of Adam’s brain was screaming at him to stop. To shut up before it was too late. Before he irreparably damaged what remained of his relationship with Rob.
    He buried his face in his hands. His cheeks were wet. Shit. Now he was being a big baby. He couldn’t believe he was crying. He impatiently swiped the moisture from his cheeks and took a deep breath to steady himself. This had to end now.
    Like any wounded animal, Adam had simply wanted to return home and shut the world out while he licked his hurts away. Or in his case, drowned his sorrows. He figured the scotch in his coffee was just a start. It would take a full bottle, probably more, to give him even momentary relief from the pain swamping him. Now Rob had invaded his home, taking even that hope of comfort from him.
    Strong hands gripped Adam’s, pulling them away from his face. “I never meant to hurt you. Not like this.” Sorrow was etched on Rob’s face.
    “I know, man.” And he did know it. Rob was a good friend. The best. “But I can’t go back to things the way they were.”
    “We’re not asking you to.” Shayla stepped into Adam’s living room and went to Rob’s side. Together they were a unified couple.
    Adam turned away. It hurt to look at them. So perfect